Method of making a finished garment



Feb. 6, 1968 R. D. GWYNN 3,366,974

METHOD OF MAKING A FINISHED GARMENT Filed Jan. 20, 1966 INVENTOR.

fairer? fl Gayzm United States Patent 3,366,974 METHOD OF MAKING A FINISHED GARMENT Robert D. Gwynn, 32320 Bellvine Trail, Birmingham, Mich. 48010 Filed Jan. 20, 1966, Ser. No. 521,764 3 Claims. (Cl. 2-243) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of making a garment which, when first made, precisely fits a selected figure and, more specifically, to a method of making a finished garment wherein a model garment is fitted to a figure and deviations in the fit are marked on patterns which are the same size as the patterns utilized to make the model garment, and thereafter cutting material in accordance with the markings on the patterns and fabricating the finished garment from the cut material.

Normally, garments are made from standard patterns to produce standard sizes. For example, mens suits are made from standard patterns to produce standard sizes, such as 42 regular, 42 long, 45 regular, 45 long, etc. There are two major problems associated with making suits in this manner, and both of these problems stem from the fact that every human individual has a slightly different form. For instance, two men have the same measurements, which measurements indicate that a certain standard size suit will fit each man, but the standard size suit may not fit both men in the same manner because the men may have different postures and their arms and other limbs may be positioned relative to their bodies in different relative relationships. Thus, in most cases when a standard size suit is fitted, the suit is marked for alteration. The suit is then altered, often by disassembling the seams and thereafter refabricating the suit. Even after such alterations, often a suit does not fit the individual satisfactorily. Furthermore, there are a large number of individuals who, because of their particular form, cannot wear a standard size suit since the standard size suit does not fit in the first instance and it cannot be altered so that it will fit.

Of course, one alternative solution to some of these problems is the tailor-made garment. Taking mens suits again as an example of how a tailor-made garment is fabricated, an individual is first measured by the tailor. The tailor then transposes these measurements to cloth to cut pieces of cloth which are in turn assembled together by a baste stitch to form the suit. The suit thus loosely sewn together is then fitted to the individual measured, and any deviations in the fit are marked on the suit. The suit is thereafter modified in accordance with the markings and finally stitched or sewn together. This manner of making a suit, of course, has the disadvantage that it is very expensive. Secondly, it requires the individual to appear at the tailor shop twice, once for measuring and once to try on the loosely sewn together suit.

An intermediate manner of making garments such as mens suits has been utilized in an effort to overcome some of the foregoing problems, and suits made in this manner are usually referred to as made to measure. To make a made to measure suit, an individuals measurements are taken and the measurer notes the measurements and various other features, such as build and posture and whether the individual has high shoulders and a short neck or sloping shoulders and a long neck, on a form. The notations on the form are then translated, often by another individual, into the closest standard size which is noted on the form. Modifications from the standard size are interpreted from the measurers notes on the form and are indicated on miniature pictorial representations of patterns on the form. These miniature pictorial representations of patterns are thereafter used in conjunction with standard size patterns to cut cloth which varies from the standard size patterns in accordance with the notations on the miniature pictorial representations of patterns. The cutting of the cloth is frequently accomplished by yet another individual. This manner of making garments such as suits has many disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the individual being measured in the first instance does not see a garment and therefore cannot visualize its final appearance nor can be suggest modifications in the styling. Perhaps the most serious problem, however, is the interpretation problem. That is to say, the measurements taken in the first instance are interpreted to make many of the notations on the form. Secondly, the notations on the form are again interpreted by the individual who makes notations on the miniature pictorial representations of patterns. Thirdly, the individual cutting the material also interprets the notations on the miniature pictorial representations of patterns. Clearly, each of the individuals involved may interpret the information differently so that the suit, when made, does not fit the individual measured.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of the instant invention to set forth a method of making a finished garment wherein the garment, when made in the first instance, precisely fits a selected figure.

In general, this and other objects and features of the instant invention may be attained by a method wherein a model garment is made from a standard pattern and the model garment is fitted on a selected figure. The deviations in the fit of the model garment are marked on a pattern which is the same size as the standard pattern utilized to make the model garment. Material is then cut in accordance with the markings on the duplicate pattern and thereafter the cut material is assembled to provide a finished garment which precisely fits the selected figure.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows a group of standard patterns for making a mans coat;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of a mans coat on a figure;

FIGURE 3 is a side view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a front view of a mans coat on a figure having a different shape or form than the figure illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3; and

FIGURE 5 shows a group of duplicate patterns, each of which is the same size as one of the standard patterns shown in FIGURE 1, and disposed on material to be cut.

The patterns 10, 12, 14 and 16 illustrated in FIGURE 1 are full-sized standard patterns for making a mans coat. The patterns It), 12, 14 and 16 are respectively placed upon a selected material and the material is cut in conformance with each pattern. The material cut in accordance with the standard patterns 10, 12, 14 and 16 is then assembled or fabricated by being sewn together into a model garment 18.

Once the model garment 18 is made, it is fitted on a selected figure 20. The figure 20 is shown as a mannequin, or the like, but it is to be understood that it may take any form, and in fact the model garment 18 may be fitted to an individual. The deviations in the fit of the model garment 18 on the figure 20 are marked on the duplicate or fitting patterns 22, 24, 26 and 28 as indicated by the dotted lines. The duplicate or fitting pattern 22 is exactly the same size as the standard pattern 10, the duplicate or fitting pattern 24 is exactly the same size as the standard pattern 12, the duplicate or fitting pattern 26 is exactly the same size as the standard pattern 14, and the duplicate or fitting pattern 28 is exactly the same size as the standard pattern 16 The standard patterns 10, 12, 14 and 16 are preferably made of a rigid material, such as plastic, wood, or the like, and the duplicate or fitting patterns 22, 24, 26 and 23 are preferably made of a foldable material, such as tissue paper, or the like.

After the duplicate patterns 22, 24, 26 and 28 have been marked by the dotted lines, they provide a group of precise patterns which precisely reflect the form or shape of the figure 20. Material 27 from the bolt 29 is then cut in accordance with the deviations indicated by the dotted lines and the cut material is fabricated by being sewn together to produce a finished garment which precisely fits the figure 20. Alternatively, the standard patterns may be utilized to mark out pieces on the material 27 and the precise patterns superimposed over the cloth to mark differences in the piece as reflected by the precise pattern.

The figure 30 in FIGURE 4 has a difierent form or shape (i.e. build) than the figure 2(3 of FIGURES 2 and 3 in that the figure 30 has sloping shoulders whereas the shoulders of figure are more square. in accordance with the invention, therefore, a model garment 18 may be made from a group of standard patterns 10, 12, 14 and 16, and the model garment may be successively fitted on the figures 2t] and 30. A plurality of groups of duplicate or fitting patterns 22, 24, 26 and 28 are provided so that one group of the duplicate or fitting patterns 22, 24, 26 and 28 is utilized when the model garment 18 is fitted to the figure 2t} and another group of duplicate or fitting patterns 22, 24, 26 and 28 are utilized when the model garment is fitted to the figure 30. Thus, when the model garment 18 is fitted to the figure 20, a first group of duplicate or fitting patterns are marked to produce a first group of precise patterns, and a second group of duplicate or fitting patterns are marked when the model garment 18 is fitted to the figure to provide a second group of precise patterns. The first group of precise patterns are utilized to cut material from which a finished garment is fabricated to precisely fit in the first instance the figure 20. Likewise, the second group of precise patterns are utilized to cut material which is assembled together to provide a finished garment which precisely fits the figure 30. Thus, one model garment 18 may be utilized with various successive figures and various groups of duplicate or fitting patterns so that various finished garments may be made so that each finished garment precisely fits a selected figure.

The word pattern as used in the specification and claims is to be interpreted to mean a component of a pattern utilized to make a garment as distinguished from meaning the complete set; however, the invention has been de scribed in an illustrative manner and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described,

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of making a finished garment comprising the steps of; providing a standard pattern, making a model garment by utilization of said standard pattern, providing a fitting pattern identical to said standard pattern used to make said model garment, fitting said model garment on a figure, marking deviations of the fit of said model garment on said fitting pattern, cutting a garment component from material in accordance with said markings of said fitting pattern, and fabricating the finished garment from material including said cut material.

2. A method of making a finished garment comprising the steps of; providing a set of standard patterns, making a model garment according to said standard patterns, providing a plurality of fitting patterns identical to said standard patterns used to make said model garment, fitting said model garment on a figure, marking deviations of the fit of said model garment on said fitting patterns, cutting garment components from material in accordance with said markings on said fitting patterns, and fabricating the finished garment from the cut material.

3. A method of making finished garments comprising the steps of; providing a set of standard patterns, making a model garment according to said standard patterns, providing a plurality of fitting patterns each identical to one of said standard patterns used in making said model garment, successively fitting said model garment on a plurality of figures, marking deviations of the fit of said model garment with respect to each of said figures on appropriate ones of said fitting patterns to produce respective precise patterns, cutting garment components from material with at least some of said garment components cut in accordance with each of said precise patterns, and fabricating finished garments from the cut material to provide finished garments each of which fits its respective figure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 206,584 7/1878 Lawson. 1,516,224 11/1924 Ward 2243 X 2,795,047 6/1957 Berlin. 2,624,943 1/1953 Booth 33-17 FOREIGN PATENTS 569,837 2/1959 Canada.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED R. GUEST, Examiner, 

